This invention relates to building blocks. More particularly but not exclusively, it relates to an educational toy to teach different aspects of mathematics to children of all ages.
According to the present invention, there is provided a multi-faced building block adapted for assembly to produce a plurality of shapes by connecting a number of said building blocks, said block including male hinge means at a first edge of a face of said block and characterised by female hinge means at a second edge of said face opposite and parallel with said first edge, whereby two said blocks can be joined hingedly by connecting the male hinge means of one block to the female hinge means of the other block, and whereby two said blocks can be joined fixedly in face to face relation by connecting both the male and female hinge means of one block to the female and male hinge means, respectively, of the other block.
The building block may be in the shape of a triangular prism, preferably an isosceles triangular prism and, more preferably a right-angled isosceles triangular prism. The prism preferably has square faces lying between the short sides of the triangular faces.
The male and female hinge means may be located on the edges of the face which joins the hypotenuse of the right-angled triangle faces, whereby two substantially identical building blocks can be joined fixedly to form a cube.
The male and female hinge means may be located on the edges which define the ends of the hypotenuse. Preferably, the hinge axis lie parallel to the edges which define the ends of the hypotenuse.
The male hinge means may comprise a pair of oppositely extending protrusions and the female hinge means may comprise a pair of oppositely extending recesses adapted to be engaged by the protrusions with a snap fit. The protrusions may extend towards one another and the recesses may open away from one another.
Other independent features reside in the provision of a building block adapted for assembly to produce a plurality of shapes by connecting a number of said building blocks, each of said building blocks comprising a right-angled isosceles triangular prism, wherein said block has male hinge means at an edge defining one end of the hypotenuse, and female hinge means at an edge defining the other end of the hypotenuse, whereby two blocks can be hingedly joined together by connecting the male hinge means of one block to the female hinge means of the other block, and two of said blocks can be fixedly joined together using both pairs of hinge means to form a cube.
The building block may have a female face connection means on one face defining one of the equal sides of the isosceles triangle, and a male face connection means on the other face defining the other of the equal sides of the isosceles triangle.
The hinge axes preferably lie parallel to the edges defining the hypotenuse .